Neighbors and 3113 Albemarle developers reach settlement for two-home development by historic residence

Work has resumed at the site of what will be a new single-family home at 32nd and Albemarle Streets, thanks to a settlement between Soapstone Valley Ventures (the site’s owner-developer) and a group of neighbors.

Construction on 3113 Albemarle was halted at the end of November by the neighbors’ appeal. The case had been heading for a March 13th hearing before the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The appeal challenged the setbacks allowed by Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for the construction of three single-family homes on a subdivision of three separate lots. In addition, it questioned the legitimacy of one of those lots.

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Soapstone Valley Ventures had initially planned to build two clusters of townhouses fronting Albemarle and Appleton Streets, and one single-family home behind the landmarked former residence of the Polish ambassador. When neighbors objected, the developer’s plan changed. It would instead pursue a matter-of-right development of three single-family homes.

What the neighbors wanted, in essence, was a two-lot subdivision of the area to the west of the driveway, one that would exclude the small plot of land behind the landmarked residence along Appleton Street. Soapstone Valley Ventures agreed to this, and to a minimum 11-foot setback of the main wall from Albemarle Street. The main wall of the second home, at 3128 Appleton Street, is to have a minimum setback of 17 feet. (Here’s the settlement agreement.)

The settlement agreement was accepted into the record on February 1. The neighbors have partially withdrawn their appeal until the request for the subdivision change to two lots is accepted by Department of Consumer Regulatory Affairs. As agreed, Soapstone Valley Ventures has applied for the new subdivision and has resumed construction of the new house at the corner of Albemarle and 32nd Streets.

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Thank you very much for having the courage to point out that the developer is managing this project in a thoughtless manner, or that he is mad at the neighbors.

The latest evidence reveals that he must be mad at the neighbors: there is a giant street sign leaning against the driveway wall, waiting to be installed. Presumably it is going to be placed at the northeast corner of Albemarle and 32nd Street, because it has a giant arrow pointing to the right, and says the following:

The developer appears to be preparing to block the sidewalk along Albemarle Street on the south side of the Polish Ambassador’s Mansion (north side of Albemarle). There is a large street sign sitting in the construction zone which states:

An earthmover on the construction site has created huge piles of dirt that conceal the large street sign, for the time being. But the sign is still leaning against the wall on the left side of the driveway up to 3101 Albemarle St. (the former Polish Ambassador’s residence).

I certainly hope the builders and developer will NOT be allowed to close the sidewalk on the north side of Albemarle at that location, but I have no idea what the law or Zoning Commission rules allow.

I agree with you that there is no useable sidewalk on the south side of Albemarle at that location. The short stretch of sidewalk from Connecticut to the trailhead for the Soapstone Ravine does not continue past the trailhead. The trailhead is directly across Albemarle from the driveway. There is no pedestrian crosswalk between the driveway and the trailhead. If a new crosswalk could be installed there, new stop signs would probably be required to ensure speeding commuters do not run down pedestrians in the crosswalk.

With respect to sidewalk closure, according to Bobby Gottfried, principal of Soapstone Valley Ventures, owner of the site, there are no current plans to close the sidewalk. If the sidewalk would need to be closed, he would file for a public space permit with a Transportation Control Plan.. This would have to be posted on site.. This requirement can be found on the current permit posted on the site.